Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Eckakeem.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Eckakeemxe2x80x99.
The new Poinsettia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Poinsettia cultivars having flower bracts with desirable colors, uniform plant habit and excellent post-production longevity.
The new Poinsettia originated from a cross made by the Inventor of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Gutbier Marlene, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,735, as the female, or seed, parent, with the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar 792, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Eckakeem was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif., in December, 1998. The selection of this plant was based on its dark red-colored flower bracts.
Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal cuttings propagated in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif., since April, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Eckakeemxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Eckakeemxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Inflorescences with dark red-colored flower bracts.
2. Dark green-colored leaves.
3. Uniform and mounded plant habit.
4. Early flowering; natural season flower maturity date is early December for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.; response time, about 9 weeks.
5. Excellent post-production longevity.
Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Gutbier Marlene, in flower bract coloration as plants of the cultivar Gutbier Marlene have bright red-colored flower bracts. In addition, plants of the new Poinsettia have darker green-colored leaves and are more vigorous than plants of the cultivar Gutbier Marlene.
Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the male parent, the cultivar 792, primarily in flower bract coloration as plants of the cultivar 792 have darker red-colored flower bracts. In addition, plants of the new Poinsettia are not as vigorous as plants of the cultivar 792.
Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the cultivar 490, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,825. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia had lighter red-colored bracts and flowered about 8 to 12 days later than plants of the cultivar 490.